Username: Harbrynger
Kia's name: Poseidon
Prompt:
It’s a stormy day, the sky grey and the curling waves hurling themselves against the rocks. The sea itself is dark, almost the color of ink. For most of the beach, there is not a sight to be seen… Except a small blue fleck on one of the rocks in the distance. You walk over, and upon arrival, you see a kia, his grey hair blowing flyaway in the gale. The crescendos of the waves somehow seem to avoid him, almost as if the sea is parting itself in his wake. In his paws, he his holding an object, a pole of dark wood, with a near invisible line going directly down into the sea, seemingly unaffected by the maelstrom around it.
Suddenly you see his posture change, and he stands, pulling on the line. You see the near-invisible string experience a sharp tug into the water. The kia in front of you narrows his eyes as he begins to yank and tug on the line. The rod begins to bow and creak under the pressure and yet it doesn’t snap. Instead, with one final motion, deliberate and practiced, the line leaves the water. Clamped on the end, jaw first, is an utterly terrifying looking creature. You freeze in fear. It is dark in color, with spines and teeth like an anglerfish, as well as thick stripes of near midnight black. In contrast, patches of light seem to emanate from gaps in its scales, and its eyes glow too, wild and yet still afraid. It soars in a great arc above the kias head, almost in slow motion, its gaze focussed on him, before crashing into the roiling waters below.
You see a real smile cross his face as he ever so gently drags the form of the creature in, paws directly on the fishing line itself. To your surprise, he carefully, with a gentleness you thought not possible and a neutral, thoughtful expression, unlatches the fishing hook from its cheek. It wriggles like some unholy abomination, before dipping back under the water, set free once more.
The kia turns to you and offers a half smile, as his rod enters the spray once more, his grasp coiled around it, as he sets himself back to wait, perhaps for another terrifying looking monster, though you struggle to imagine what could scare you more.
”It is not about the result. It is not to hold onto the catch, no…” He sighs, and shakes his head. “For whether the weather is perfect, or utterly abysmal, like today, the fishing is about the spectacle. Seeing what you may unearth that day, before sending them back into the spray for someone else to discover.” He states “And getting to watch it go back off into its deep and unknowable realm after, knowing you bested it.” He smirks.
”In fact, I find I love the terrible weather, you can catch true horrors of the deep if you get lucky enough.”
Harbrynger
Username: Harbrynger
Kia's name: Poseidon
Prompt:
It’s a stormy day, the sky grey and the curling waves hurling themselves against the rocks. The sea itself is dark, almost the color of ink. For most of the beach, there is not a sight to be seen… Except a small blue fleck on one of the rocks in the distance. You walk over, and upon arrival, you see a kia, his grey hair blowing flyaway in the gale. The crescendos of the waves somehow seem to avoid him, almost as if the sea is parting itself in his wake. In his paws, he his holding an object, a pole of dark wood, with a near invisible line going directly down into the sea, seemingly unaffected by the maelstrom around it.
Suddenly you see his posture change, and he stands, pulling on the line. You see the near-invisible string experience a sharp tug into the water. The kia in front of you narrows his eyes as he begins to yank and tug on the line. The rod begins to bow and creak under the pressure and yet it doesn’t snap. Instead, with one final motion, deliberate and practiced, the line leaves the water. Clamped on the end, jaw first, is an utterly terrifying looking creature. You freeze in fear. It is dark in color, with spines and teeth like an anglerfish, as well as thick stripes of near midnight black. In contrast, patches of light seem to emanate from gaps in its scales, and its eyes glow too, wild and yet still afraid. It soars in a great arc above the kias head, almost in slow motion, its gaze focussed on him, before crashing into the roiling waters below.
You see a real smile cross his face as he ever so gently drags the form of the creature in, paws directly on the fishing line itself. To your surprise, he carefully, with a gentleness you thought not possible and a neutral, thoughtful expression, unlatches the fishing hook from its cheek. It wriggles like some unholy abomination, before dipping back under the water, set free once more.
The kia turns to you and offers a half smile, as his rod enters the spray once more, his grasp coiled around it, as he sets himself back to wait, perhaps for another terrifying looking monster, though you struggle to imagine what could scare you more.
”It is not about the result. It is not to hold onto the catch, no…” He sighs, and shakes his head. “For whether the weather is perfect, or utterly abysmal, like today, the fishing is about the spectacle. Seeing what you may unearth that day, before sending them back into the spray for someone else to discover.” He states “And getting to watch it go back off into its deep and unknowable realm after, knowing you bested it.” He smirks.
”In fact, I find I love the terrible weather, you can catch true horrors of the deep if you get lucky enough.”
(495 words)
2026-10-08 23:08:05
Feature Comment